Without a doubt, this has to be one of the most fantastical bars ever created. Designed by François-Xavier Lalanne, this chat polymorphe was purchased by architect Émile Aillaud in 1968. Although at first glance it looks like a feline Trojan Horse made of repoussé brass, the bar has curious appendages that make it seem more akin to some mythological creature- namely, a fish tail and birds' wings that reveal the contents inside. It's certainly imaginative, not to mention impossibly chic, too.
The photo you see here shows the bar in the Paris home of Charlotte Aillaud, widow of Émile. Charlotte used the bar to hold her treasured collection of Venetian glassware and eighteenth-century Portuguese glasses. I use the past tense as it seems Charlotte sold her cat at a 2002 Christie's auction. The cat's hammer price was $197,125- appropriate, I suppose, considering that the cat bar was one of only two made by Lalanne:
Although I seriously doubt that Charlotte Aillaud used her cat to mix complicated cocktails, I do think this cat needs a signature drink. Should it be a Tiger's Tail? Or better yet, what about the Pussyfoot?
Pussyfoot
A non-alcoholic cocktail, the Pussyfoot is a Jazz Age drink that was first concocted at the Embassy Club in London. According to some, it cures hangovers...
1 fluid ounce lime juice
1 fluid ounce lemon juice
1 fluid ounce orange juice
Grenadine to taste
Maraschino Cherry for garnish
Mix in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a glass.
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